


Grand Assurances

by Jathis



Series: The Steward and the Sorcerer [39]
Category: Sofia the First (Cartoon)
Genre: Embarrassment, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28548204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis
Summary: Slickwell is glad Greylock is living in the castle, especially since the former steward is still learning how to be polite with others.
Series: The Steward and the Sorcerer [39]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2091021
Kudos: 2





	Grand Assurances

Violet found him adjusting some of the paintings in the hallway. She let out a sigh of relief, jogging over to him. “Baileywick, we have a problem in the kitchens.”

The royal steward looked up at the declaration. “What’s wrong, Violet?”

“Well…” she made a helpless gesture with her hands. She really didn’t want to have to say it aloud.

“...it’s Slickwell, isn’t it?” Baileywick asked.

“Yes.”

He sighed heavily, shaking his head as he started off to the kitchens. “I will deal with this,” he promised. Baileywick winced when he heard Slickwell shouting. He hadn’t even opened the door yet and he could hear him clear as a bell.

“What do you mean we cannot build any fires today?! How am I supposed to make the tea? Nobody drinks cold tea during Winter! You expect everyone to eat cold food for the entire day? We live in a castle, not some hovel!”

He stepped into the room from behind the younger man. He folded his hands behind his back and loudly cleared his throat to get his attention. “No fires of any kind are to be lit today, Slickwell. Not even a single match can be lit.”

The former royal steward turned to look at the older man. “Why?” he asked with a frown.

“Slickwell, you are aware of the date, yes?”

The younger man shrugged, placing his hands on his hips. “So?”

“It’s Ash Remembrance.” Baileywick was surprised when this answer didn’t cause a reaction from the other. “Rudistan doesn’t have such a day?”

“A day where everyone has to stay in the dark and cold? No, we wouldn’t be that dumb,” Slickwell snorted.

“It’s in remembrance of those lost during the Fire Trials,” he explained. “Thousands of lives were lost to flames so for a day we do not make any kind of fire.”

Slickwell blushed at that explanation. “You mean like..?”

“Precisely.” He watched as the other left the kitchens without another word. “I don’t think we have to worry about anything further today,” he assured the kitchen staff. “It’s just a cultural difference.”

***

Greylock found Slickwell outside several hours after the incident in the kitchen. He smiled at him, tipping his hat that he still enjoyed wearing. “Haven’t seen you inside for some time,” he noted.

“...this kingdom is strange,” Slickwell murmured.

“Ash Remembrance?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He sat down beside the other, taking off his monocle and idly rolling it across his knuckles. “I was a little surprised when Cedric told me that Enchancia observes it. It’s a holiday normally only observed at Hexley Hall. For obvious reasons.”

“Magnus would _never_ do such a thing,” Slickwell said.

Greylock laughed. He turned his head to cough, hacking up something in his mouth before spitting it into the grass. “He would probably have a holiday to celebrate the burnings,” he said. He looked at Slickwell, balancing his monocle on the end of his finger. “They won’t hold it against you.”

“Hm?”

“For your little outburst this morning.”

Slickwell blushed at that. “You know about that?”

“Slickwell, everyone knows about that.” He rubbed the other’s back when he held his head in his hands. “It’s okay. You didn’t know.”

“This place is still so confusing! I feel like some kind of rookie,” he hissed. “It seems like I am making some kind of mistake every day I am here.” He watched as Greylock flicked his monocle into the air with his thumb, moving his head just so to catch it over his eye. “Why are you so calm about everything?”

He looked over at him, shrugging. “I almost died, old boy. Such an experience tends to make everything else trivial by comparison!” He nudged Slickwell’s shoulder with his own, trying to cheer the other up. “You’re still young. You’ll figure it out.”

He looked over at the sorcerer, raising an eyebrow. “You think so?”

“I do,” he said.

Slickwell sighed, resting his head on his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“That makes two of us,” he chuckled.

“You are aware that you’re only older than me by a few years, right?”

Greylock made a flippant gesture with his hand. “Details!”

He laughed, feeling much better about what had happened that morning. “You always knew how to brighten things up,” he said.

“That’s what made me so grand in the first place.” He stood up, offering Slickwell his hand to pull him onto his feet. “Come on, they’re having a luncheon outside with the entire staff. All cold things of course but Cedric says it’s rather nice.”

“As long as you’ll be there…”

“Who else will provide the entertainment!” Greylock chirped. He threw an arm around his shoulders, walking with him to where the luncheon was to be held.


End file.
